Illegal Anger
by ZachaRicO
Summary: Nonexistent rage is the worst. Coupled with misunderstanding? It makes you want to blow something up. Looks like Ash Ketchum just learned this the hard way.


**Well, look at this: another rant by yours truly.**

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"I can't BELIEVE this!" Ash Ketchum growled, kicking an old soda can into oblivion. "This has got to be the worst mix-up I've ever put up with!"

"_Pi Pikachu!_" Pikachu agreed.

Ash huffed angrily and sat down on an old bench forcefully, his eternal companion right by his side. They were in Solaceon Town, not far from Hearthome City, where they were cheering for Dawn in the Grand Festival. The Festival wasn't for two more days, but they'd gotten there early so they could find a place to stay, as well as catch up with their friends. Unfortunately, it hadn't gone over so well.

Pikachu had been so elated to see his friends again, he'd gone a little overboard with a bottle of ketchup. As luck would have it, Ash wound up on the butt-end of the accident. Needless to say, he was mildly annoyed and told Pikachu to get a grip on himself. Pikachu agreed and apologized.

What really riled the Pokemon trainer up, however, was everyone else's reaction to his reaction. His expression of mild annoyance got everyone thinking he was furious and told him to calm down: that he was overreacting. When Ash tried to protest their admonishments, they only brought them down harder until poor Ash exploded with rage, confirming what they thought of his mood. In his rage, he stormed out of the city and settled into Solaceon, telling himself he'd come back in the morning. Pikachu had come along; he was just as mad as Ash was.

Still ticked off, Ash pulled out a small handbook and opened it to a random page. "The seven types of anger," he read to himself:

_Tier 0 – Irked_

_Tier 0.5 – Annoyed_

_Tier 1 – Irritated_

_Tier 2 – Ticked_

_Tier 3 – Angered_

_Tier 4 – Enraged_

_Tier 5 – Absolutely Furious_

"There! You see?! I only reached the second stage, and that was nothing! They all treated me like I was at Stage 5, and when they pressed me, they drove me there on their own!" He was practically screaming now, his rage nearly over his head as he stood and roared at the sky. "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THIS WORLD?!"

"_PIKA PIKACHU!_" Pikachu pulled him back down, hoping to calm him.

Ash huffed, sitting down again, calmer now. "Sorry, Pikachu," he sighed, his anger fading to disappointment. "I guess I kinda lost it, huh?"

"_Pikachu_," Pikachu nodded.

He leaned forward, still irked. "I just can't believe it. Is there some law out there that specifies how angry you're allowed to get before everyone else can treat you like you're out of control?"

"Not that I've read."

He turned sharply on hearing the sudden voice. "Who's there?" It was getting dark.

"Really, Ash? After all this time, I figured you'd be able to tell who I am."

He rolled his eyes and leaned forward again. "Hey, May."

The brunette coordinator sat down beside him, the light revealing her figure. She looked at his face, largely hidden by his signature cap. "You look pleasant."

"Yup. I'm the happiest man alive right now," he retorted.

She turned away. "Well, I know when I'm not welcome here."

"No no, it's not your fault," he stopped her. "I really shouldn't be angry right now...but my friends pushed me over the edge."

"What do you mean?" she asked, curious. He proceeded to tell her everything that had happened. "Wow, and you say you were only slightly annoyed?"

"Yep," he nodded, and then proceeded to reenact what he said to Pikachu and how he had said it.

"And they thought you were furious?!" May exclaimed incredulously. He nodded. "Jeez! Talk about jumping to conclusions!"

"I know, right?" Ash sighed, his anger still simmering. "And the worst part is that these nonexistent anti-anger 'laws' only seem to apply to me! Everyone else is allowed to get annoyed and get away with it; the worst they get is a light admonishment. But me? No, if I'm merely irked, I need to be contained because I'm obviously a wild animal!"

May shook her head. "It really isn't fair. And as if it weren't enough, their accusations drove you to the point where they were speaking the truth? UGH! Sometimes I wonder if people press those accusations just so they can be justified."

"No kidding," Ash grumbled. "I just hope one day it all comes back around."

"Me too," May nodded.

They sat there a little while longer, feeling better after discussing the matter. After a while, May got up.

"I'm gonna go back to the hotel. I'm in a two-person room, so if you want a place to stay…"

"I'd like that," he nodded, getting up after her. "Thanks."

"The pleasure's mine," she smiled.

"I'll try not to get angry," he shrugged.

"Don't worry about it," she punched him lightly in the arm. He chuckled, feeling much better and less misunderstood.

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**Can you relate to Ash's scenario? I hope so...I'd hate to be the only one...**

**PS: The seven tiers of anger are based on something else I read.**


End file.
